


In place of the Hero

by swordmouse



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Bisexual Paya, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Link stays dead though, Paya taking Link's place, Power of Friendship, Present tense for no real reason, Retelling, This will have a happy ending if I ever finish writing it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-11-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 14,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23195077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swordmouse/pseuds/swordmouse
Summary: Link dies early in his journey, and Paya decides to take on the Calamity herself. It's a dangerous quest, but someone has to try, right?
Comments: 61
Kudos: 38





	1. In which the Hero is dead

They find the Hero’s body just west of Kakariko Village. Steen carries it back to Impa’s house, and Paya looks up from her cleaning and gasps when she sees him. Link’s limp form looks tiny in his arms. 

Impa doesn’t say much when Link’s body is carefully laid before her. She inspects him, uttering a quiet, “Oh, Link…” when she sees the dark bruise covering his chest. Paya can hear the slight quaver in her voice that only ever surfaces when she speaks of the Champions.

No one saw Link die. They guess that he tried to approach a wild horse and it kicked him. Several of his ribs are broken, and his body was downhill from a herd. Maybe the kick broke his ribs, they say, and the resulting roll down the hill drove the shards into his vital organs, finishing him off. Paya tugs his shirt back down, hiding the injury from the crowd that has gathered in her grandmother’s home. It’s not proper, she thinks, to look upon him in this state, broken and bare. 

She’s only just met him, and now he’s dead. She tries to reconcile it in her head, the beautiful Hero receiving Impa’s instructions to save the world and the body in front of her, killed not in the line of duty but by a single, ordinary horse. She had liked him. If she’s being honest with herself, she’d been infatuated with him. Now he’s dead, again, a century after the Calamity, and the unfairness of it all fills her up so she can’t speak. The Hero is dead. Hyrule is surely doomed now.

“Can we put him back?” she asks her grandmother, after the crowd of villagers has gone back to their own homes for the night. “In the Shrine of Resurrection, can we revive him again?”

Impa shakes her head. “He was near death when we put him in the Shrine, but he hadn’t died yet. His heart has stopped now. There’s no bringing him back. And Princess Zelda will not be able to hold the Calamity for another century, regardless.”

Paya’s hands clench and release the hem of her robe. “Th…then the Calamity will break free.”

Impa bows her head. “Yes.”

“Can I go fight it?”

Impa looks at her quizzically.

“I m…mean, someone has to do it, and Link can’t. It might as well be me.”

“I admire your courage, Paya. And I don’t doubt your training or your conviction. But you must realize, this is very likely a fruitless endeavor. I do not know if the Calamity can be defeated by anyone other than Link, and without the Master Sword.” She looks Paya in the eyes. “Attempting to fight the Calamity could very well be a suicide mission. Do you truly want to do this?”

Paya cringes, thinking of all the people her grandmother has already lost. “If no one stops the Calamity, we’ll all die. Even... even if it is a suicide mission, isn’t it worth trying? If there’s even the slightest chance that I could stop it, don’t I have a duty?”

Impa sighs. “I do not wish to send you into danger, but you are right. We are all in danger regardless. Better to face the Calamity than die cowering from it.” Her gaze moves to Link’s body on the floor, now covered with a sheet. “You will have to take Link’s Sheikah Slate. I do not know if you will be able to use it, but your Aunt Purah will be able to help with that.” She looks back up at Paya. “I will tell you what I told Link, the message that Princess Zelda asked me to pass along to him. Free the Divine Beasts. If you can do that, then perhaps it will be possible to stop the Calamity without the Hero.”

Paya nods, determined. “I will try my hardest, Grandmother.”

“I know you will, Paya. I know you will.”


	2. In which Paya travels to Hateno

When Paya sets off towards Hateno Village, it is with a very literal heavy burden upon her. She had taken not only Link’s Sheikah Slate, but also his glider and the rusty broadsword and boko bow on his back. She had tried to empty her mind while she methodically stripped the body of any useful items, to quiet her memories of the young man who had entered Kakariko Village only that morning. She had only partially succeeded.

Her neighbors had contributed everything they could, too, once they learned of her mission. She is fully outfitted with food, arrows, clothing, and as many rupees as the villagers could spare. Her bag is barely able to close over the huge mass of pumpkins and carrots she has packed, since Olkin and Steen got a bit competitive over supplying her. Tucked deep in the bottom of the bag is the light blue tunic that her grandmother had given her before she left. It’s Link’s old Champion’s tunic, and she knows that Impa had been waiting to give it to Link. Having it with her feels like a promise, although she doesn’t wear it, not wanting to draw attention to herself. 

The Sheikah Slate, too, is hidden in her backpack. Paya doesn’t know if Link had encountered any Yiga spies before he died, so maybe he didn’t know the risks of being recognized. Although, she thinks with a shudder, a Yiga spy might be just as likely to attack a lone Sheikah traveler as a Hero. She hopes not. Her grandmother had trained her in combat, with a particular emphasis on countering the techniques of the Yiga after they killed Dorian’s wife, but she would rather not put those skills to the test if she can avoid it.

Paya tries to stick to the main roads. She’s grateful for Claree’s stealth armor, as it allows her to sneak past groups of bokoblins undetected. She lays out her bedroll under trees and rocky overhangs and shivers through the nights without a campfire, sacrificing comfort for stealth. She barely sleeps. Every rustle in the underbrush could be a monster about to discover her. It’s a relief when she finally reaches Hateno, and she practically runs up the hill to her Great Aunt’s lab.

She hasn’t visited Aunt Purah since she was very young, and it’s been years since Purah last visited Kakariko. It’s a surprise, then, when Paya opens the door to the Ancient Tech Lab to see a small child wearing her Great Aunt’s signature goggles and glasses. 

“Paya!!” the child squeals, running over to give her a tight hug.

“Au...Auntie Purah?”

“Oh! Yes.” Purah pulls back. “You haven’t seen me since the experiment!”

“Experiment?”

"The truth is, I look this way because of a failed experiment. Well, I say ‘failed,’ but...in some ways, it was a success. I documented the full affair in my diary upstairs. BUT!” She reaches up to poke Paya’s chest. “The whole thing is embarrassing, so I insist you refrain from reading it!"

“I won’t read your diary, Aunt Purah.”

“Of course you won’t! Oh, it’s been so long since I’ve seen you. What brings you to Hateno?” She jumps up and down, excited.

Oh, no. She’s going to break her heart.

“W...well… Link… Link is dead.”

Purah gasps.

“He came back from the Shrine of Resurrection, he made it to Kakariko but—”

Purah starts sobbing, breathless, heaving sobs that shake her whole frame, and Paya stops talking and just holds her. 

“Linky… dead...” She hiccups and wails like only a small child can. “No, Linky, no, not again, no…!” Her words trail off into a scream, and Paya feels a tightness in her throat.

“I’m so sorry, Aunt Purah.”

Purah answers with more sobbing.

This is, unfortunately, when Symin enters the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is inspired by the time in my botw playthrough that I died from a single horse kick and the ensuing roll down a gentle slope right after talking to Impa for the first time. Like, Impa's just finished telling Link that he's the only one who can save the world, and Link is like "okay :>" and then gets kicked to death by a fucking horse. I have now turned that experience into a fic where Purah cries. You're welcome and I'm sorry.


	3. In which Paya receives a tutorial

Things are a mess for a while. By the time Paya has explained the situation to Symin, Purah’s sobbing has subsided into sniffling and the occasional heartbroken “Linky…”

Paya’s reveal that she is going to fight the Calamity herself causes yet more tears, which only subside when she takes out the Sheikah Slate.

“A Sheikah Slate!” Purah snatches it from her hands and immediately starts tinkering with it. “Was this Linky’s?”

“Yes,” Paya says. “Grandmother said you could help me learn how to use it.”

“I can!! I see you’ve got a bag, but did you know? You can store things in the Slate!”

“I can?” She eases the heavy pack off her shoulder.

“Yep! Let’s see what you’ve got here…” Purah opens up the bag and takes out a pumpkin. “Okay, watch which buttons I press! Aaaaaand… snap!” The pumpkin is suddenly not in her hand anymore. “Now you try!”

Purah coaches her through transferring the rest of her supplies to the Slate’s inventory, then sets about teaching her how to use the runes. Paya practices Magnesis and Stasis on some of Purah’s spare machine parts, but Purah sends her down to the beach to practice Cryonis and the bomb runes. It takes her some time to work up the nerve to actually detonate the bombs, which she throws as far into the water as she can. She does accidentally kill some fish, and she uses Cryonis to get to them and put them in her inventory without getting her pants wet. They’ll make a nice meal when she cooks them up with some carrots later. 

She climbs back up the hill to the Ancient Tech Lab, then back down and up again after Purah asks her to light the Ancient Furnace. She’s a bit out of breath as she lowers the torch into the furnace. The Sheikah Slate bloops melodically as the furnace and the circular platform in front of the door light up.

[ _Hateno Ancient Tech Lab is now set as a travel gate._ ]

She extinguishes the torch and enters the lab, and Purah cheers.

“The Guidance Stone is working again! Snappity… SNAP! Now I can restore your camera rune!”

“My what?”

Purah takes the Sheikah Slate, reading the text on the screen.

“Hmmmmm… Snap!” Purah taps the screen and her body dissolves into blue strings of light.

“Aunt Purah!” Paya grasps at the empty air where her great aunt just stood.

The doors to the lab open behind her, and she turns to see Purah walk in, the Slate in her hand.

“The teleportation function works! Lighting the Ancient Furnace must have activated the travel gate outside. Now you try, Paya!”

“I don’t know…”

“C’mon, don’t be silly! Give me a SNAP and press right here!”

“Snap…”

Paya taps the icon on the Sheikah Slate and finds herself outside the lab. It’s a very peculiar experience, going from one place to another without moving. Purah meets her outside.

“Snap!! Okay, now you should try teleporting other places.” She takes the Sheikah Slate from Paya’s hands. “It looks like Linky activated a few shrines and a tower that can be used as travel gates. You should try out the tower and a shrine, and then come back here!” She hands Paya the Slate.

Paya takes a deep breath and taps the icon for the Great Plateau Tower. She looks down at herself this time, as her body dissolves into brilliant streaks of blue and rematerializes somewhere else. She shivers at the chill of wind that wasn’t hitting her a moment ago, then looks around.

...Oh, Goddesses, she is so high up.

The green slopes of Hyrule are laid out before her, individual landmarks tiny from her vantage point. She sees what must be the Temple of Time beneath her. Then, turning, she looks upon Hyrule Castle.

She’s seen the castle before, of course, but never with such a clear view. Looking at the vast clouds of swirling malice now, seeing the Calamity as something she’s supposed to fight, Paya feels more alone than she ever has. How can she possibly hope to stand against that? If she’s very, very lucky, she thinks, if she makes it through her travels and the Divine Beasts unscathed, then the view before her is her future grave.

She wonders how the Princess feels, whether she sensed Link’s death somehow. Or maybe she’s fighting on unaware, waiting on a chosen Hero who will never arrive. 

Paya blinks away her stinging tears to tap a nearby shrine on the map. Oman Au Shrine, according to the Sheikah Slate. She hits the icon to teleport.

Paya materializes on the shrine’s travel gate, which has a good view of the tower she just left. By now, she’s getting used to the tingly, disorienting feeling that comes with the Sheikah Slate’s teleportation. She selects the Ancient Tech Lab on the Slate and teleports back.

Purah greets her, and is excited to hear that she can teleport to the activated shrines and towers. The two of them spend the rest of the day at the shrine in Hateno Village, trying and failing to activate it. They eventually come to the conclusion that the shrines must only activate when they detect the presence of the Hero, so they give up and head back to the lab. Purah makes Paya promise to report back to her if she attempts to activate any towers on her travels.

That night, Paya sleeps in Purah’s room while Purah stays up to work with the Sheikah Slate. Lying there in her great aunt’s bed, she thinks about where she’ll go next. To free a Divine Beast, obviously, but which one?

From what she’s heard, the Divine Beasts that pose the biggest immediate threat to Hyrule as a whole are Vah Ruta, which is causing endless rain that threatens to burst the Zora dams and flood the land, and Vah Rudania, which is increasing volcanic activity on Death Mountain. Vah Naboris and Vah Medoh, it seems, are currently content to menace only their immediate areas. Her first destination, then, should be Zora’s Domain or Death Mountain. Zora’s Domain is both closer to Hateno Village and far less likely to set her ablaze, so Paya resolves to head there first. After that, she’ll have to get together some potions and protective clothing to head to Death Mountain. That is, of course, assuming she survives her journey in the first place. She has no idea whether she’ll be able to take on even one Divine Beast.

Putting aside her concerns for her mortality, the next logical Divine Beast to free after Vah Rudania would be Vah Nahbooris. She has no idea how she’ll even attempt to board Vah Medoh, since it’s in the air, but she’ll put off that conundrum as long as possible. That geographical path makes sense, too. She’ll walk from Hateno to Zora’s Domain to Death Mountain, activating the travel gates at any towers along the way if she can. After that, she can teleport back to one of the shrines that Link activated on the Great Plateau and head to Gerudo Town from there, then start her journey to Rito Village from one of those same Great Plateau shrines.

She rolls over, trying to get comfortable in a bed that is not her own. Her travel plans, she decides, sound good in concept, although she seriously doubts her abilities to follow through. Either way, though, she has a duty to try. In the morning, she’ll say goodbye to Aunt Purah and set out for Zora’s Domain.

She falls asleep to thoughts of what it might be like to meet a Zora.

In the morning, Purah shows Paya how to use the camera rune and compendium that she spent the night restoring. While Paya marvels at the detail and realism of the newly captured image of Purah, Purah explains that she can upgrade the runes on the Slate.

“I can make all the runes even better! I need some ancient parts to do it, though. You can grab them from under dead guardians! Just look at them with the camera first. If the camera says it’s a guardian, that means it’s not actually dead, so watch out!”

Paya shudders, recalling the terrifying stories she grew up with, the ancient machines that stalked the fields of Central Hyrule.

“Remember, Paya,” Purah says, grabbing her arm. “If something is too scary, you can teleport away!”

Paya nods. “I will, Auntie Purah.” She hopes she’ll be able to activate the towers as she travels. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long journey back every time she flees from danger.

Purah hugs her. “I love you! Stay safe out there! Aaaaaand come back with guardian parts, I wanna do upgrades!”

Paya hugs her back. “I love you too, Auntie Purah.”

Purah and Symin wave from the Ancient Tech Lab as Paya sets off, Sheikah Slate once again hidden in her bag, towards Zora’s Domain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited version, from an alternate universe in which I fail to resist the urge to include homestuck references in a non-homestuck fic:
> 
> “Okay, watch which buttons I press! Aaaaaand… snap!” The pumpkin is suddenly not in her hand anymore.
> 
> "Where did the pumpkin go?" Paya asks.
> 
> Purah shows her now-empty hand. "What pumpkin?" She giggles. "It's in the Slate now!"


	4. In which Paya meets Prince Sidon

Paya is achingly tired by the time she reaches the mouth of Zora River. She had started her journey by teleporting back to the Ta’loh Naeg Shrine in Kakariko Village, so her trip was not as long as it would have been if she had walked all the way from Hateno Village. Still, she has already snuck past a Hinox, a Lizalfos encampment, and countless other monsters. She had even seen a Guardian Stalker in the distance, roaming through the wetland. 

The constant danger is making her nearly too anxious to function, and her legs ache from crouching and scurrying past enemies while their backs are turned. There’s a steady drizzle, and her clothes are soaked through and muddy. She marks the location of the nearby tower on her map, vowing to come back to it and attempt to register its travel gate later, when the weather is better.

Following the path up the river, she begins to see some Zora architecture. The bridge before her, and the elegant fluted pillars to either side of it, have the blue glow of luminous stone. As she marvels at the stone lanterns lining the bridge, a voice startles her.

“Say, hey there! Young one! Up top! Above you!”

Paya looks up to see a massive Zora leap from the top of one of the pillars, somersaulting in midair and landing with a flourish.

Oh, Goddesses. He’s huge. And very muscular. And, well, not very clothed. Paya tries to fight the blush she’s sure must be spreading across her face. This is just how Zora dress, or, rather, don’t dress. It would be highly improper for her to show how flustered she is.

“Pardon the entrance,” the Zora says, “but you’re a Hylian, aren’t you?”

“Sh...shei...” Paya stammers. “N…no, I’m Sheikah. It...it’s very nice to meet you.”

“Ah, of course! A Sheikah! Apologies, my mistake. We rarely get visitors around the domain! Oh, pardon me… I am Sidon, the Zora prince!” He flexes one arm and smiles widely at her. Forget Death Mountain, she is going to spontaneously combust right here and now.

“Paaa... Paaay... My name is Paya!” Phew, she got her name out. Talking to strange men is difficult! Especially princes, and should she be kneeling right now? Curtseying? She has no idea what is proper here, and it’s terrifying.

“It is lovely to meet you, Paya!” 

He looks so earnest and excited to see her. She hopes she’s not making too much of a fool of herself.

“To be honest,” he says, “I’ve been watching you.” She thinks she must be redder than he is by now. “I’ve seen the way you work. I can tell by the way you carry yourself that you are no ordinary person. I’ve never seen anyone sneak past the monsters like that! You must be a skilled warrior among the Sheikah, correct?!”

“N…not particularly… I’m just, um, trying to get to Zora’s Domain. To… to calm the Divine Beast.”

Sidon gasps. “Excellent! I knew you were special! Yes! Exquisite! I have been searching for someone like you for a long while. I was just about to beseech you to help us with Divine Beast Vah Ruta, but it seems you are already here to help us! Thank you, Paya!”

Is he always so outgoing? Paya is as flattered as she is intimidated.

“I… you… you’re welcome?”

Sidon beams at her.

“Now Zora’s Domain will be saved for certain! No time to waste! Hurry up and head over!” He gestures towards the path ahead of her. “Because of the rain, the cliffs are too wet to climb. To reach the domain, you will need to go straight along this path. As a Sheikah, I know you are unable to swim up the river. As such, the path to the domain may be a bit treacherous. You likely have a tough fight in store— there are monsters up ahead that attack with electricity. Don’t give up! I believe in you!” He gives her that smile and arm flex pose again.

Goddesses, please do not let her disappoint this Zora. Please let the prince’s faith in her not be misguided.

“Oh, that’s right!” he continues. “I have something that I would like to give to you! This is just a small trinket to show that I have faith in you!” 

He takes out a bottle. Paya isn’t quite sure where he was storing it. Perhaps a hidden pocket in his sash?

“It is a drink that will increase your resistance to electricity! I am not sure why, but its effects do not seem to work for Zora. Perhaps because it was made specifically for Hylians. But I am sure it will work just as well for a Sheikah such as yourself! I shall go on ahead and make sure there is not anything strange going on where you are headed. I’m counting on you!”

“I… I’ll do my best, Prince Sidon.”

He flashes her another stunning grin, then does a backflip dive into the river and disappears beneath the water’s surface. 

Paya tries to get her breathing under control before she moves on. She hadn’t met a Zora before today. Are they all so… overwhelming? She downs the potion and sets off to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: asked my friend where she thinks Sidon was keeping the potion and she said "hammerhead space," lmao


	5. In which Muzu makes things difficult

After much sneaking, sniping, and running for her life, with occasional interludes of encouragement from Prince Sidon, Paya arrives, exhausted, in Zora’s Domain. Sidon rushes out to meet her. 

“Whoa! I’ve been waiting for you, Paya! Welcome! Behold the pride of my people, Zora’s Domain! Now I shall introduce you to the king. Hurry, this way!”

“Al... alright, thank you.”

She follows Sidon to the uppermost floor, where an enormous, crowned Zora sits in a raised pool. Paya had thought Sidon was huge, but the king is almost house-sized! She kneels before him.

The king’s deep voice echoes through the room. “Ah. You must be the Sheikah that Sidon brought here, correct?”

“Yes, Y...your Majesty.”

“You did well to come all the way here! I am King Dorephan, ruler of the Zora.”

“I’m P...Paya, of Kakariko Village. Your Majesty.” Paya really hopes she’s getting the title right. She’s not a diplomat, and she feels badly out of her depth.

“You may stand. Sidon tells me that you came here to free Vah Ruta.”

“Yes, I…” Paya stands up, then reaches into her bag and pulls out the Sheikah Slate. “This device will let me interface with the Divine Beasts.”

King Dorephan stares down at it. “That object… is that not a Sheikah Slate?!”

“Y…yes…”

“I did not know that such things still existed. Wherever did you get it?”

Paya thinks about responding that she is a Sheikah, after all, and why shouldn’t she have a Sheikah Slate? But even if the Zora are sheltered enough to be fooled, it feels wrong to directly lie to them like that.

“I got it from the Hero, Your Majesty. Link almost died in the Calamity, but he was placed in the Shrine of Resurrection, and slept there for a century before awakening without his memories or, well, his skills. He died near my village, and I’ve been traveling in his place ever since.”

“I had heard a terrible rumor that Link had fallen in combat,” King Dorephan says. “I never knew what happened to him. I am saddened to hear that he really is dead. I knew him, back before the Calamity. He and my daughter were close. It is commendable that you would come here in his place to help us.”

Paya blushes at the praise.

“As you may know, Zora’s Domain is in danger of vanishing because of Divine Beast Vah Ruta,” the king continues. “I shall do you the courtesy of speaking bluntly. We alone cannot stop this beast. Divine Beast Vah Ruta has great power. It has the unique ability to create an endless supply of water. Of late it has been mercilessly spouting water into the air. As a result, this area has been plagued by heavy rains. For us Zora, water and air are as one, so you would not think this would be quite so critical a problem. Sadly, the rains have filled the Eastern Reservoir nearly to the point of flooding. If the reservoir bursts, as I fear it soon will, I fear immense damage will befall not only Zora’s domain, but also the area downstream from us. There, Hylian lives are in very grave danger.” 

Paya has heard about the domain’s constant rain and the threat of flooding. The idea that such a flood would hurt the aquatic Zora as well as other races is new to her, though.

King Dorephan looks somber. “According to Princess Zelda’s research, the orbs located on Ruta’s shoulders are mechanisms that can control the water it generates. However, they require electricity to work. These orbs are clearly out of control now because there is no electricity coursing through to stop them.”

Sidon speaks up. “Seggin, who is quite resistant for a Zora, hit one with a shock arrow. Sure enough, it slowed the water a bit. Unfortunately, as an aquatic race, we Zora are terribly vulnerable to the power of electricity. Perhaps because we could not safely strike it with enough electricity at once, the water soon returned to its full force. That is why I went in search of a non-Zora who could help us!” Sidon grins and flexes. “Paya, I am certain you have already figured this out, but we need you to use shock arrows to get those orbs working properly again! I will aid you in any way I can, of course. Please, Paya of Kakariko Village… I beg of you. Help me stop Ruta’s rampage of destruction!”

This isn’t really what she had expected. Perhaps she hadn’t fully thought things through, but she had imagined herself approaching the Divine Beasts alone. She had never pictured the rulers of a region asking for her help.

“I will try my best to help you, Your Highness,” she says. “I am on a journey to appease all four Divine Beasts. If I am successful, I will attempt to fight the Calamity at Hyrule Castle. Link’s not here to save us anymore, so we have to try to save ourselves. Even… even if we’re not good enough to win.”

“Please, call me Sidon.” He grins at her, and she looks away. “You are inspiring, Paya! I did not know you had such grand ambitions. Wondrous! Naturally, I shall help too!”

Paya peeks back at him. He’s flexing again.

“Once it has stopped rampaging, we can easily climb inside it,” he says. “Come, Paya! Let us appease Ruta together!”

“Thank you for helping me,” Paya says.

“No, thank  _ you _ , Paya,” King Dorephan says. “Truly. We are in your debt. Our goal is the same. That means our meeting was nothing short of destiny.”

Paya thinks of Link, dying alone by the blow of an ordinary horse, and doesn’t say what she thinks about destiny.

“Now then,” the king says, “allow me to offer you this gift as a show of faith.” He reaches down into the water below him and pulls out an ornate chest, which he opens to reveal a beautiful set of upper body armor. To her surprise, it looks like it might fit her, which means it probably wouldn’t fit any of the Zora she’s seen.

The elderly Zora who has been standing to the king’s side during this meeting, who Paya assumes is some kind of advisor, gives an outraged gasp.

“So long as you wear this,” King Dorephan says, ignoring the elder’s expression of dismay, “you can ascend waterfalls just like a Zora. Please, take good care of it.”

“King Dorephan!!” the elder scolds. “Surely you do not really intend to give this outsider the Zora armor! Countless generations of Zora princesses have gifted that armor to the one they have sworn to marry! Princess Mipha made that one there with her own hands! It is far too important to entrust to a shady Sheikah! She didn’t even know Princess Mipha. So why should SHE receive such an honor?” He turns and starts to walk away. “This is just too much, my liege! I do not understand it one bit!”

Paya cringes. “I… I’m sorry…”

“Hmph. That Muzu is not easily swayed once his mind is set,” the king says. “You must understand… He was in charge of educating my dear daughter, Mipha. Naturally, she means a lot to him… just as she means the world to us. I hope you can forgive his rudeness.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. I understand.” Paya knows that she stands here as an imposter, outfitted in the gear of the dead Hero, and now also that of Princess Mipha’s intended. She is not the best person to take their place, but she is the one who is here.

“Hmm, but what shall we do now? I tasked Muzu with finding the shock arrows we will need to appease Vah Ruta. But now he has rushed off in a huff…”

“Paya!” Sidon says. “Do not let his words concern you. I will work this out with Muzu. I shall return shortly!” He jogs off in the direction that Muzu went.

“Paya, would you please follow him? I have my doubts about their ability to resolve this conflict…”

Paya nods and bows. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

She follows Sidon back to the luminous statue she passed on the way in, where he is already arguing with Muzu.

“I don’t care what you say!” Muzu shouts.

“Muzu… Please listen…”

Paya coughs quietly to alert them to her presence. They both turn towards her.

“Hmph. You came all the way here, but it was in vain,” Muzu says. “I have no desire to speak with you.”

“Listen well, Muzu,” Sidon says. “In order to calm Ruta, we must shoot each orb with a shock arrow in quick succession. The best way to get close enough, the only way that I can think of, is to swim up Ruta’s waterfalls. Seggin cannot handle shock arrows for long enough to finish the job. We need a non-Zora to do this, and without the Zora armor, they would not be able to ascend the waterfalls. Paya is a blessing, and we would do well not to squander her offer of help. The way I see it, we have but two options. Either we lend the Zora armor to Paya, or I swim up the waterfalls with Paya on my back, and she activates shock arrows in close proximity to my person. I would willingly do this if it were the only way to calm Ruta, but I doubt it is to your wishes, Muzu. Please. Unless you have an alternative plan, do not oppose this.”

“.....Fine. I shall tell you how to get those shock arrows. That tall mountain over yonder… It is called Ploymus Mountain, and there you will also find Shatterback Point. A terrifying creature has made its home up there. This awful beast shoots volley after volley of shock arrows. Even a single one could be fatal to a Zora.”

“Aha!” Sidon exclaims. “You must mean that Lynel. He is a man-beast, that one!” He turns to Paya. “That beast does indeed wield shock arrows. That is certainly one way to collect them quickly. He is vicious, to be sure. But I am certain Paya will rise to the challenge.”

Paya is… less certain that she will rise to the challenge.

“In order to appease the Divine Beast,” Muzu says, “I estimate that you will need… hmm… at least twenty shock arrows. More if you’re not a good shot. Do you think you can gather that many?”

Paya nods. “I’ll do my best.”

“Okay, Paya,” Sidon says. “Let’s get moving. The fastest way to Ploymus Mountain is to ascend the waterfall east of the domain! That Zora armor should come in handy. Just put it on, swim to the waterfall basin, and then go up the waterfall from there! I’ll wait at East Reservoir Lake, right by the Divine Beast. Gather at least twenty shock arrows, and then come join me!”

Paya nods again.

“Wonderful! Together we shall stop that Divine Beast’s onslaught! Remember, Paya, I believe in you!”

Paya wishes she could believe in herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, you can find me on tumblr at swordmouse.tumblr.com! Come chat with me about Paya :D


	6. In which Paya faces a Lynel

Paya really wishes that Rola sold shock arrows. She gave Paya nearly her whole stock before she left, but she only had fire arrows and regular arrows. And now Paya is here, preparing to steal shock arrows from a Lynel.

Swimming up the waterfalls is terrifying, but exhilarating. Paya is not looking forward to entering a Lynel’s territory, though. As soon as she’s up the waterfalls and out of view of the city below her, she changes out of the Zora armor and into her stealth set. Staying out of sight has never been more critical for her.

She crouches behind a rock, observing the Lynel in the distance. It isn’t distant enough, in her opinion. She sees a shock arrow stuck in the trunk of a nearby tree and creeps over to grab it. It tingles in her hand, but she gets it into her inventory without any trouble. She retreats behind more cover, searching for the next arrow.

She continues like this, finding arrows and keeping a close eye on the Lynel, for what feels like ages. Sweat drips down her neck under the cowl, and she’s terrified every time she must emerge from a hiding spot to dart through the open. More than once, the Lynel seems to get suspicious, squaring its stance and swiveling its head to look around. Each time, she holds her breath and stays very still behind the nearest rock until it loses interest.

At least there is no shortage of shock arrows here. The Lynel must be firing them into trees and rocks to mark its territory. Or it’s just bored, or a really bad shot. Paya’s not willing to gamble on the latter.

She grabs her twentieth arrow. Would this many arrows be enough? She thinks back to Muzu’s words. She isn’t completely confident in her marksmanship, especially under pressure and in midair. Maybe she’ll get twenty five, just to be sure.

The problem, though, is that she’s running out of arrows to take. As she climbs a tree to grab one, she looks around at the few remaining arrows. There are still plenty left, more than enough to reach her goal of twenty five, but they’re all uncomfortably close to the Lynel.

Paya is terrified of getting any closer to the creature, but even more terrified of running out of arrows and dealing with the Divine Beast’s wrath and, possibly worse, Prince Sidon’s disappointment. Perhaps she can distract it.

She picks up a pebble and tosses it past the Lynel. The pebble lands with a small splash, and the Lynel grunts and draws the massive blade on its back, approaching the source of the noise. Paya darts behind it, grabbing an arrow from a tree trunk in one hand and an arrow from the ground in the other. She’s safely hidden behind a rock by the time the Lynel stops investigating the sound. Twenty two arrows. She takes a deep breath. Three more and she can go back to Sidon and not have to be this close to a Lynel ever again.

She picks up another pebble and throws it past the Lynel.

The Lynel turns to where the pebble landed. Then, as Paya peeks out from behind the rock, the Lynel turns around to face her hiding spot. She pulls herself back out of view so fast that she thinks she strained something.

Paya holds her breath, her back pressed against the rock, as she hears the hoofbeats draw closer. She has her Sheikah Slate out, ready to teleport away, but she hesitates. It’s at least three days’ travel back to Zora’s Domain if she teleports away now. She thinks of Sidon, standing at East Reservoir Lake, waiting and waiting as she doesn’t return to calm Vah Ruta with him. What if he thinks she just left? What if he thinks she’s in trouble with the Lynel, and comes to try to save her, putting himself in the way of the monster’s shock arrows?

A large shadow looms over her. She looks up into the glowing, empty eyes of the Lynel. 

She’s already moving as it grunts and lifts its sword. Newly cut grass flies through the air as it strikes downward at the spot where she was crouching a moment ago.

Paya sprints towards the edge of the cliff. What had Muzu called it, Shatterback Point? She is going to jump off of Shatterback Point. Goddesses, she’s so dead, but she would rather shatter her back than let the Lynel rip her apart, and maybe the glider will get her out of this alive.

Hoofbeats thunder toward her as she steps off stone and into open air.

She’s free falling. She feels her hair rise with the static of a shock arrow passing directly over her head. There’s a terrible, lurching moment where she fumbles with the Sheikah Slate before she manages to deploy the glider.

Paya can still hear the Lynel roaring behind her as she descends into Zora’s Domain, safe and with twenty two shock arrows in her inventory. 

She’s escaped the Lynel. Now onto Vah Ruta…


	7. In which Paya breaks the ice

Sidon is waiting for her at the end of the pier at East Reservoir Lake, staring at the Divine Beast across the calm waters. Paya coughs to get his attention, and he turns.

“Glad to see you made it back safely, Paya!” Sidon flexes his arm and grins. “Are you ready for this? I brought a silver bow for you. Do you have the Zora armor and enough shock arrows?”

“Oh! Yes, let me just change… Could you, um, turn around?”

Sidon obliges, and Paya changes the stealth shirt out for the Zora armor as quickly as possible.

“Alright, I’m ready.” She picks up the silver bow.

Sidon turns to face her again. “Wonderful! You never cease to amaze, Paya! Now then, let us go and appease that Divine Beast as one! Here we go!!”

He does a standing backflip into the water, surfacing a short distance from the pier. 

“Gaze now upon the Divine Beast’s back! Do you see those glowing, pink orbs?”

Paya nods.

“You will need to shoot each of them with a shock arrow! With the Zora armor, you now have the ability to ascend waterfalls! So I shall take you right up to the side of the Divine Beast, and from there you can swim up and take aim! I know you can do it! I believe in you! Now hurry up and get on my back!”

“O...on your back? I don’t know if I should d...do that.” Paya flushes. That sounds like a lot of bodily contact. She’s never done something like this before, wouldn’t it be improper to… to ride the Prince?

Sidon mistakes her worries about impropriety for anxiety about taking on the Divine Beast, which she is, of course, also worried about.

“What are you talking about!? We can do this! Let’s get going!” He smiles encouragingly at her.

She supposes she isn’t a strong enough swimmer to do this on her own, anyway. She needs to save her strength for swimming up those waterfalls. And Sidon certainly doesn’t seem bothered by the prospect of a near-stranger on top of him. Alright. She can do this…

She takes off the stealth set’s scarf, face mask, and metal greaves. They’ll just weigh her down and get in the way of her swimming. She sits down at the edge of the pier and slips into the water. It’s cold, but no colder than her grandmother’s koi pond, where she learned to swim. She paddles over to Sidon.

He helps Paya position herself on his back, straddling his torso and gripping his shoulders. 

“Okay! Here we go!!” Sidon surges forward in the water, and Paya leans down and squeezes her thighs around his midsection so she doesn’t fall off. She will definitely apologize profusely for getting in his personal space like this… later, when they’re not swimming towards the Divine Beast.

“Ha! I am unstoppable in the water!”

“Your swimming is very good.” She probably doesn’t need to tell the prince of the Zora that his swimming is good, it’s probably obvious…

Vah Ruta trumpets, and Sidon curves away from it.

“Ruta is responding to our presence! I’ll move away and wait for an opening before we approach!” he says. “I’ll keep going at full speed! It’s up to you to ward off Ruta’s attacks!”

“Attacks?” Paya’s grip on his shoulders tightens.

“Are you ready? Divine Beast Vah Ruta will undoubtedly use its ancient and mysterious powers against us… That includes hurling giant ice blocks that we will need to watch out for. I shall leave those to you!”

Paya mumbles a prayer to Goddess Hylia under her breath.

Before her eyes, three giant cubes of ice seem to materialize from the Divine Beast’s side, glowing with strange markings that remind her of those on the ice formed by the Cryonis rune.

“Watch that ice!” Sidon warns, as the first cube starts to spin towards them.

The Divine Beast is the same type of ancient Sheikah technology as the Slate. If her Cryonis rune can smash its own created ice, then maybe…

She aims the Sheikah Slate at the block of ice hurtling towards her and activates Cryonis. The ice turns pink on her screen, and she taps the hammer icon that appears over it. The ice explodes, spraying her with shattered pieces.

“Good job!” Sidon says, as the second block of ice begins spinning through the air towards them. Paya breaks it before it gets too close to them, along with the one that comes afterwards. Sidon brings them in closer to Vah Ruta.

“Any shock arrows?” he asks as they approach.

“I’ve got them,” Paya says, taking out her bow.

Sidon swims to the base of one of the Divine Beast’s waterfalls.

“Now go!”

He flips in the water, launching her up into the waterfall. She surfaces at the top, rising up into the air. Her paraglider snaps open and she tries to position herself so that she can aim her bow as she hangs off the glider’s frame from one elbow.

The arrow sails uselessly off to the side, nowhere near the orb she’s aiming for. She grits her teeth and tries again. Not even close. She’s going to need to paraglide closer to her target for her awkward glider shooting to have a chance. 

She glides in closer to the glowing orb, lets another arrow loose. It misses. Alright, so she can’t aim while also hanging onto her glider. She’ll have to stow the glider, then take a quick shot while free-falling. She’s too low to attempt it now, so she returns to Sidon, stowing the glider just before she hits the water.

“Sorry,” she says, getting on his back again.

“It’s alright,” he soothes, swimming away from Ruta as spiked orbs of ice materialize by its side. “You’ll get it. We just have to keep trying. Let’s find an opening!”

The spiky ice spheres move differently than the ice blocks did, spinning down into the water and then following behind Paya and Sidon. It takes Paya a moment to understand their movement patterns, but she’s able to break them all before they hit.

“Shock arrows ready?” Sidon asks, approaching Vah Ruta.

“Yes. I’ll get it this time.”

Sidon takes her to the base of a waterfall and does another flip. “Here we go!”

She's launched up above the waterfall, equipping her glider and angling it to get as close to the orb as possible before she takes her shot. Almost there… now!

Paya stows the glider and looses a single arrow as she falls. The shot flies true, turning the orb from pink to the same yellow-green as the tips of shock arrows. She hears Sidon exclaim “Marvelous!” down below her, and she’s still falling, only arm’s length away from an outcropping on the Divine Beast, and she reaches out to steady herself and—

Everything goes blue. A solid wall of cerulean light collides with her body. It knocks the breath out of her with dizzying force, and she’s flying backwards, falling. She’s limp when she hits the surface of the water.

She instinctively gasps, then sputters as water burns her lungs and throat. She’s thrashing, trying to break the surface, but she’s disoriented and she’s not even sure she’s going up. She can’t breathe, she needs to breathe—

A blurry red shape moves towards her. She feels solid arms around her and her head breaks the surface of the water.

“Are you hurt?!”

Paya coughs up water and gasps.

Sidon holds her to his chest and faces the Divine Beast, kicking away from it. Paya finally draws enough breath to try to speak.

“I… sorry, I got too close, I’m okay…”

Sidon hauls her up on the pier and starts checking her over. “It’s alright, just breathe for me.”

Paya coughs in his face a little. “Sorry…”

“It doesn’t seem like anything’s broken, but we can take a rest if you want to.”

She glances behind Sidon to Vah Ruta, which is currently forming five new glowing ice blocks. She holds up the Sheikah Slate and shatters the one that starts spiralling towards Sidon. 

“I don’t think we can. And you said that the water started up again after Seggin hit one of the orbs but not the others. We need to keep going.” She smashes the second ice block.

Sidon nods, serious. “You are very brave, Paya. Alright.” He dives back into the water, and Paya slips in after him and gets on his back. “Hold on tight!”

She smashes the ice blocks, one after another. She’s getting better at predicting their movements, and she won’t let them hurt Sidon.

“We’re getting closer!” he says.

“I’m ready,” she replies.

“Alright, go!”

She swims up the waterfall, then glides just close enough to the orb to shoot it without activating Vah Ruta’s shields again. Or, at least, she hopes so. Taking a deep breath, she stows the glider. She shoots off two arrows before falling too far to aim, and cheers when she sees the glowing orb change color.

“You did it!” Sidon is there to catch her when she hits the water.

She clings onto his back. “Only two more left.”

“Right! Let’s go!” Sidon swims further from the Divine Beast as more spiked ice spheres form. “You must break that ice!”

“Got it,” Paya says, smashing the first one to follow them through the water.

She breaks the rest, and Sidon once again swims towards Vah Ruta.

“Get those shock arrows...” He positions himself under a waterfall, and Paya leaps off of him as he flips. “Going up!”

Water roars in her ears as she ascends the waterfall. This time, her first shot hits.

“Incredible!” Sidon exclaims.

Paya falls back into the water. “I think I’m getting better at this,” she says, mounting Sidon again.

“You’re doing so well!” he says, swimming away from Vah Ruta. “One more time!”

This time, two rows of ice materialize. Five blocks and five spiked orbs. Paya takes a deep breath and readies the Sheikah Slate.

“Can we get rid of that ice?” Sidon asks.

“I’ll take care of it!” An ice block spins towards them, and Paya breaks it. 

Paya can’t seem to predict the pattern with which the Divine Beast alternates between blocks and spheres, but she is quick to react as the next icy obstacle breaks off from the array and hurtles towards them. 

“I got them all,” she says as she smashes the final block.

“Excellent work,” Sidon says, swimming back to the waterfalls. “Now go!”

As Paya nocks a shock arrow, she lets herself believe, for the first time, that maybe she really can do this.

The shock arrow strikes the orb with a sizzle, and Vah Ruta lets out a mighty trumpet.

“I knew you could do it!” Sidon says, helping her onto his back.

Paya laughs, disbelieving and half delirious. “We did it, we really did it.”

“WOW!” Sidon swims closer to the Divine Beast. “That was astounding! An absolute thrill!”

Vah Ruta lowers, its trunk smacking into the water. The rain that had been constant since Paya entered the domain slows to a drizzle, then stops.

“Paya, look! The water spouting from Ruta has slowed down!”

The Divine Beast rumbles ominously and begins to rise.

“Ruta is floating higher now!” Sidon says. “You wanted to venture inside it, right?! I’ll bring us closer!”

A platform on the Divine Beast’s exterior lowers until it is level with the water, and Sidon swims towards it.

“Well, Paya,” he says, “here we are. Looks like this is where the real work starts. Nice job cutting off the water flow from this Divine Beast.” He pauses. “Would you like my help with whatever challenges await you inside?”

Oh, thank the Goddesses, maybe she really will make it out of Vah Ruta alive. “Please,” she says, “I would really appreciate it. If… if you don’t mind, of course.” She gets off of Sidon’s back and pulls herself up onto the Divine Beast platform, and Sidon follows her.

“I believe the elders would throw a fit at the idea that I might enter Ruta, but I will not leave you alone if you have need of my assistance.”

“Thank you.” Paya presses the Sheikah Slate against the terminal.

[ _ Travel Gate registered to map. _ ]

A circle on the platform behind her begins to glow blue. Well, that’s good, Paya could definitely use more Travel Gates.

There’s a soft voice with no discernable source. “Sidon, is that you?”

Sidon makes a sound like a sob. “Mipha!?” 


	8. In which siblings reunite

“Oh, Si-Si, look at you, you’re all grown up now! Oh, I missed you so much.”

Paya wonders if Zora are unable to produce tears. Sidon certainly sounds like he’s crying, but his eyes are dry.

“Oh, I’m so glad to see you!” Mipha says. “Now Ruta can be freed of Ganon’s control.”

Sidon nods. “We won’t fail you, Mipha.” His voice is ragged.

“You’ll need a map to prevent you from getting lost. The Guidance Stone inside contains the information that you will need. You will need to remove the Malice that stands in your way by attacking its eyes.”

Paya approaches the oozing wall of spikes that blocks the ramp leading into Vah Ruta. A single glowing eye peers at her from a stalk in the middle of the pooling malice, and she shudders as she draws her broadsword.

“Do be careful, though,” Mipha says, before she can swing at the repulsive eye. “There are small Guardians inside. There is one close behind that Malice.”

“How small?” Sidon asks.

“Roughly my height,” Mipha answers, “but their lasers are still deadly.”

“I think I can handle it,” he says. He moves closer to Paya, dropping into a fighting stance. “Go ahead, Paya.”

Paya stabs the eye, and it pulses wetly, then shuts a viscous eyelid and begins to shrivel. The spikes, eye, and pooling Malice burst into a puff of noxious smoke. Sidon steps in front of Paya as the miniature Guardian across the room begins to glow Calamity pink.

“Sidon, watch out!” Mipha cries.

Sidon lets out a yell as he rushes forward. The Guardian whirs, its eye glowing brighter as it targets him, but Sidon scoops it up before it can fire. Its mechanical legs scramble madly as he holds it up above his head. 

Its head turns back and forth, then it seems to spot Paya, and the whir of charging lasers starts again. Sidon hurries past her, Guardian held high in both hands, and hurls it off the side of the Divine Beast. Paya thinks she can hear its faint splash.

Mipha laughs, a pretty sound that reminds Paya of wind chimes. “Well, I suppose that is one way to dispose of a Guardian Scout.”

Sidon grins and flexes one arm. “I got the idea from Father. A lone Guardian Stalker menaced Zora’s Domain after the Calamity, and he threw the monstrosity into a ravine!”

Mipha gasps. “Incredible!”

Paya spots another eyestalk in the nearby pool of water, and approaches to attack it while the two siblings catch up. She has to enter the water to stab it, but she’d rather not waste an arrow on this thing if she can avoid it.

It’s a bit awkward to use her sword in the water, but she manages. The Malice stain poofs into smoke like the last one.

“Are you going to introduce me to your friend to whom I am apparently engaged, Si-Si?” Mipha teased.

“Forgive me, how terribly rude of me! Mipha, this is Paya of Kakariko Village. She is borrowing your armor so that she could ascend the waterfalls of Vah Ruta. Paya, this is my sister, Mipha.”

Paya bows. “It is an honor to meet you, your Highness. I apologize for wearing your Zora armor.”

“It’s lovely to meet you too, Paya. And don’t worry, I was only teasing. It suits you! You’re almost the same size as Link.”

“Wait,” Paya says, “Link was your intended? I… I didn’t know…”

“Yes,” Mipha says, a note of sadness in her voice. “Ganon struck before I could propose to him. He went with Zelda, and I to my doom in Vah Ruta. I never learned his fate.”

Sidon’s expression darkens. “Mipha, I’m afraid we bring terrible news. Link has passed from this world. I’m sorry.”

“Ah.” Mipha’s voice carries deep sadness. “I had assumed… You’ll have to fill me in on what has transpired since my death. My consciousness has been trapped in Ruta, unable to sense the outside world. When Ruta remained under the thrall of the Calamity, and no one came to free us, I assumed Link and the other champions had fallen. In a terrible way, the Divine Beast’s continued assault on Zora’s Domain has given me hope. I knew that there must still be a domain to attack, that the Calamity had not yet wiped our people from this world. And the time one of the Divine Beast’s orbs was activated… it may have been a stray lightning strike, but I hoped…”

“That was Seggin!” Sidon says. “He has an unusually high tolerance for electricity, so he’s been trying to calm Vah Ruta.”

“It is good to hear that he still fares well. Convey my thanks to him!”

“I will! I can tell you all about current events in Zora’s Domain, but I believe Paya has more knowledge about Link.”

Paya swallows, her throat suddenly dry. “Yes. I met him. A...and… I saw his body. I guess I should start at the beginning. I know about what happened during the Calamity from my grandmother, Impa.”

“Oh, I knew Impa! I can see the family resemblance. How is she?”

“She’s doing… as well as she reasonably could be, given the circumstances.”

“I’m glad to hear it. Please give her my greetings.”

“I will.” Paya wonders what her Grandmother will think about well wishes from a ghost. “She told me that the Champions separated from the Hero and Princess Zelda on the day of the Calamity, travelling off to pilot their respective Divine Beasts.”

“Yes. It was the last time I saw them…”

“But the Divine Beasts and Guardians had been turned against us,” Paya continues. “With the Princess’s powers still dormant, she and the Hero fled from the swarm of Guardians which rose against Hyrule.” It feels odd to recite this bedtime story to someone who, like her grandmother, was actually there during the Calamity. “The Hero fought valiantly, but there were too many Guardians, and he was eventually overwhelmed. Gravely wounded, he stood to protect Zelda until his dying breath. And in her hour of greatest need, the Goddess’s power awoke within her. Her holy light excised the Calamity’s influence from the nearby Guardians. But it was too late to save Link.”

Mipha makes a pained noise, and Paya winces.

“The Princess sought the help of the Sheikah to bring Link to the Shrine of Resurrection,” Paya says, “where he would recover so that he could return and fight Ganon. Then Princess Zelda forced the Calamity back into the castle. And she’s been there ever since, holding it at bay. The Calamity’s monsters still terrorize Hyrule, but the Princess is keeping Ganon from destroying us all.”

“Oh, poor Zelda,” Mipha cries out. “I wish I could help her now! She must be so tired… But what happened to Link?”

Paya takes a deep breath. “He was in the Shrine of Resurrection for a century. When he woke up, he didn’t remember anything. He… he died outside Kakariko Village. Permanently, this time. It wasn’t a monster that did it, just a wild horse. I’m sorry.”

Mipha is quiet for a long while, and Paya begins to fidget.

“He was always so reckless with his own safety,” Mipha finally says. “I wasn’t there to heal him this time. I just wish… well, perhaps someday I’ll see him again.”

Paya isn’t sure how to respond to that. She fiddles with the Sheikah Slate.

“Paya is on a heroic quest to defeat Ganon,” Sidon says.

“I…I’m not sure I can succeed,” Paya says. “I’m not the Hero, and I can never replace him. But it’s… I have to try. It’s my duty to try.”

“You are courageous to attempt such a thing,” Mipha says. “I know how it feels to have that duty. And I know the consequences for failure. Paya… you remind me of Link, a little bit. Whatever help I am capable of providing, I will.”

“Th...thank you,” Paya says. She uses Cryonis on the water underneath the gate, opening the way to the Guidance Stone. “I’ll do my best, your Highness.”

“Please,” the Princess says, “call me Mipha.”


	9. In which Paya, Sidon, and Mipha solve puzzles

Sidon looks over Paya’s shoulder as she places the Sheikah Slate on the Guidance Stone. He gasps slightly as the Slate flips and turns in the pedestal.

[ _ Sheikah Slate authenticated. Distilling map of Divine Beast. _ ]

Just like with the Guidance Stone in Aunt Purah’s lab, the machine’s glowing blue runes form a single drop of brilliant liquid, which drips onto the surface of the Slate with a splash.

Paya picks up the Sheikah Slate and looks at the complex map of Vah Ruta.

“Incredible,” Sidon says, pointing at part of the screen. “Does this control the trunk of the Divine Beast?”

“Yes,” Mipha says. “You will see several glowing points on your map which represent the terminals that control Ruta. You may need to move the trunk in order to navigate to all four terminals. Take Ruta back by activating all of them. Be careful.”

“We will,” Sidon vows.

Paya heads towards the terminal she had spotted nearby, suspended underwater by chains. She activates Magnesis and points the Slate towards the chains. They don’t light up, but the handle of the connected set of gears does. She turns the handle with Magnesis, and the terminal platform rises from the depths of the pool.

“How did you do that?” Mipha asks. “I never saw Zelda use her Sheikah Slate that way.”

“It’s a rune,” Paya says. “This Slate has several. My Great Aunt Purah added one, but the rest were already on here when… Link must have gotten the rest of the runes somewhere. I can show you how they work, if you’d like.”

“That would be fantastic,” Sidon says. “It seems that these runes may be necessary to navigate Vah Ruta, and if all of us are familiar with them, we can all work together to activate the terminals.”

Paya demonstrates the use of all the runes, ending with the camera, which she uses to take an awkwardly angled picture of herself and Sidon. 

“There were a few pictures stored on the Slate already. Aunt Purah said that Zelda might have taken them in her travels.”

“Yes, I saw her use the Slate to capture images. I’m certain I would have seen her use the other runes as well if she had been able to.”

“How did you get around here without the use of the runes?” Paya asks, pressing the Sheikah Slate against the terminal. 

“I did not have to solve these puzzles to operate Ruta,” Mipha says. “I just used the main console. It seems that the inaccessibility of the terminals works as some sort of failsafe that wasn’t needed when I was alive.”

Paya sees Sidon wince slightly at the casual mention of Mipha’s death, and decides to change the subject.

“Could you tell us what’s ahead of us?” she asks.

“There’s another Guardian in your path. Sidon, are you ready to throw it?”

“Of course,” Sidon says.

Mipha guides them past pools of bubbling malice onto a balcony that runs along the outside of the Divine Beast. 

Sidon sprints towards the Guardian as soon as he sees it. Its mechanical body extends, producing a glowing sword from somewhere inside itself. It raises the sword up, and Sidon dodges as it comes crashing down, taking advantage of the machine’s momentary distraction to hoist it above his head. Without hesitation, he hurls it over the edge of the balcony.

“Are you alright?” Mipha asks. She sounds slightly panicked. “I didn’t realize that this one had a sword.”

Sidon nods, his hand on his chest and his breathing heavy. “It took me by surprise, but it didn’t hurt me.”

“Thank the Goddess,” Mipha says.

Paya wonders what would have happened if Sidon hadn’t joined her on the Divine Beast. Even with Mipha’s warnings, she isn’t strong or large enough to lift the Guardians like Sidon can, and she doubts that any of her weapons would have an effect on them. She decides it doesn’t bear thinking about.

They come in from the balcony to a higher level of the Divine Beast’s interior. Before them is a large rotating gear, and Paya spots the terminal inside of it.

“You’ll need to stop that gear to access the terminal,” Mipha says. “Can you use your Stasis rune on it?” 

Paya tries, but the rune doesn’t highlight the wheel. “No,” she says. “We’ll have to find another way to stop it.”

“The gear is moving because of the water flowing onto it,” Sidon says. “Do you think you could block the water with your Cryonis rune?”

“Maybe,” Paya says. She waits until the gear is positioned with the terminal near the bottom before trying it. The pillar of ice blocks the flow of water, and the gear grinds to a halt.

“There are three terminals remaining,” Mipha says as Paya activates the terminal. “You can do it!”

Paya notes that the tendency towards affirmation seems to run in the family. Their faith in her is inspiring, although she remains terrified of letting them down.

Mipha guides them onto another balcony and up a ramp. “Be careful,” she says. “The Blight up ahead has a mouth which spits flying monster skulls.”

It’s a sentence that exists somewhere in the intersection of “sentences that Paya did not ever think she would hear” and “sentences that Paya really, really wishes she hadn’t needed to hear.”

“I’ll keep them away from you while you shoot the eye,” Sidon says, and Paya makes a sound of assent.

Paya isn’t sure what she was expecting a flying monster skull to look like, but its appearance still managed to take her by surprise. Sure, she had seen stalkoblins before, but the sight of one’s disembodied head floating towards her in a cloud of malice, clacking its jawbone at her… it is not an image she will soon forget.

Sidon punches the cursed skull, and it gives one last angry clatter before vanishing in a puff of smoke. The Blight spits out a lizalfos skull, and Paya turns her attention to shooting an arrow into the ooze’s glowing eyestalk. Her arrow strikes the eye, and the entire stain of Malice pulses, then dissipates into dark smoke.

Sidon has grabbed onto the floating lizalfos skull, and he smashes it into a wall, destroying it.

“We did it!” he says.

“Good teamwork,” Mipha comments. Her tone shifts to teasing. “You’ve come a long way since you would fight with Bazz over both wanting to be the shark in Sharks and Minnows.”

Sidon grins. “It was a silly argument, looking back on it.”

Sidon’s whole demeanor seems different when he talks to his sister. He’s as friendly and cheerful as always, but he also seems more relaxed. 

The next floor of the Divine Beast is dominated by a massive, unmoving water wheel. Mipha instructs Paya to move Ruta’s trunk so that its spray turns the wheel. It takes Paya a few tries to master the complicated mechanism which opens the gate to the terminal, but through the use of Stasis and her paraglider, she’s able to get where she needs to be. Sidon catches up with Mipha as she does.

“Bazz is captain of the Royal Guard now! Muzu’s still the Royal Advisor, and he’s still just as grumpy as he was during etiquette lessons when you would put your elbows on the table. And Laflat —”

Paya activates the terminal and paraglides back to Sidon.

“There are two terminals remaining,” Mipha says. “You’re nearly there!”

“Where do we go next?” Sidon asks.

“You’ll need to make your way up to that platform to access Ruta’s eye, but I’m not sure how. Perhaps Paya can use her paraglider to reach it, but you’ll have to wait. Once she reaches the platform, she can press the button there and open up a waterfall so that you can swim up.”

“That sounds doable,” Paya says, suspecting from the tone of Mipha’s voice that it is not, in fact, doable.

“The problem,” Mipha continues, “is that there’s a Guardian on the platform.” 

Yes, there it is. “That… that does complicate things,” Paya says. It’s an understatement.

“Are we sure that there’s no way to reach the platform without a paraglider?” Sidon asks.

“The gaps are too large for you to jump across, Si-Si. And I don’t think a paraglider built for Hylians or Sheikah would hold your weight.”

“I’ll try to land as close to the button as possible,” Paya says. “Then I can jump down as soon as I press it.”

Sidon nods. “I’ll swim up when you do.”

Paya takes a deep breath as she begins her ascent, gliding between the massive water wheels. She can see the Guardian now. As she glides closer to the glowing button, the Guardian spots her too.

Its body extends as Paya’s feet hit the floor. She’s close to the button; she can make it. She hears the Guardian’s limbs hitting the floor in quick succession as it pursues her. Without thinking, she glances over her shoulder. The machine jabs a glowing spear in her direction, and she cries out as it narrowly misses her back. The button depresses under her feet. The waterfall has barely activated when she hurls herself over the edge of the platform, gasping in a quick breath before she splashes against the water below.

“Are you hurt?!” Sidon is in the water beside her. He offers her an arm to help her up.

“I’m alright,” Paya says. Her breath is quick, and she’s not sure whether it’s from the running or the fear. “D-don’t worry about me.”

Sidon gives her a quick once-over, visibly relieved to see no sign of injury. “Right,” he says, and then jets up into the waterfall, his crested head parting the spray.

Paya hears the Guardian’s scuttling as Sidon surfaces. The sound abruptly cuts off. Then the Guardian crashes to the lower floor, shattering on impact.

Sidon pokes his head over the side of the platform. “I took care of it!” he announces, unnecessarily.

Paya swims up the waterfall to join him. “What next, Mipha?”

“The next terminal is on the Divine Beast’s trunk,” Mipha explains as Paya and Sidon head down the narrow hallway. “You’ll need to use your Sheikah Slate to control its movements.”

The trunk blocks the end of the hallway, and Paya sets it to lower. “It seems like I’ll need to use my glider here,” she says, watching the mechanical trunk descend.

“I have full confidence you can do it!” Sidon grins and flexes an arm, and Paya smiles back. “I’ll be here waiting for you.”

In the wind, Paya can hear bits of conversation between Sidon and Mipha as she travels along the trunk.

“We’re doing alright, really. The lizalfos have been a problem lately, as well as a lynel which has made its home by Shatterback Point, but the Domain is safe. With Ruta’s rain stopped, I imagine there will be a celebration. Everyone will want to know about you. Oh! Dento built a statue of you, by the way.”

“I hope the statue doesn’t trouble you. I can imagine you spending far too much time staring mournfully at it, like you stared at that broken toy sword that Link brought you.”

“...Perhaps I spend… a moderate amount of time staring mournfully.”

“Oh, Si-Si…”

The trunk moves into position, and Paya lands in front of the terminal.

“Just one terminal remaining! I have faith in you!” Mipha says as Paya presses the Slate to the pedestal. “If you can paraglide to the top of Ruta’s head, there’s an opening into the room with the terminal. There is another Blight mouth up there, so you may have to fight some skeletal heads before you can take out the eye.”

“Thank you,” she says, “I’ll look out for that.”

Paya repositions the trunk, gliding off of it while it’s still in motion. She sees the Blight maw that Mipha warned her about as she lands. This time, she’s quick to take out both the chattering skull and the Blight eye with two well-placed arrows. She thinks her archery might be improving.

The rest of the challenge is easy enough. She uses Magnesis to turn a crank, opening the roof of the chamber and letting the trunk’s spray put out the jets of flame around the terminal. With great relief, she places the Sheikah Slate against it.

“You activated all the terminals!” Mipha says. “Now you can start the main control unit. There should be a new glowing mark on your map. Head there! Be careful not to let your guard down.”

Paya returns to Sidon, who immediately congratulates her on her success.

“You did well,” Mipha adds. “Both of you. But I must beg of you: please take care for your safety when you fight the monster that ended my life.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of trouble with describing the puzzles in an engaging way. I'm still not fully satisfied with this chapter, but I had to post it eventually. I think it's a little rushed, but at least we get to see more sibling interaction.


	10. In which Sidon bites a Blight

Paya holds the Sheikah Slate above the pedestal of the garlic-shaped main control unit. She glances back at Sidon, asking without words whether he is ready. He nods. 

She takes a deep breath and sets the screen against the pedestal’s etched Sheikah eye talisman.

Smoky Malice erupts out of the pedestal with a gurgling hiss. Paya and Sidon both take a step back, then watch as the Malice swirls around the main control unit. Strings of blue light pour forth and gather in a spiralling mass across the chamber. They look just like the lights that appear when Paya uses the Sheikah Slate to teleport. And, just like with the Slate’s teleportation, a figure begins to form out of the light.

The oozing, tarry torso is streaked with the crackling magenta light of Ganon’s magic. Its body is supplemented with ancient Sheikah technology, its left arm covered in the glowing-veined ceramic. Something at the end of the arm clicks into place. Paya clutches at Sidon in unthinking horror as a massive spear of blue light extends out of the monstrosity. 

The creature’s head forms last. A wild red mane extends from the back of a horned mask. Paya recognizes the shape at the center of the mask far too well: the pulsating light of a Guardian’s single eye.

The scourge of Vah Ruta throws its head back and  _ screeches _ . The battle for the Divine Beast has begun.

The Blight readies its harpoon.

“Please take care,” Mipha warns. “That… thing is one of Ganon’s creations. I put up as much of a fight as I could, but it proved to be my demise one hundred years ago.”

Sidon bares his teeth at the monster. Paya knows that she will do everything in her power to prevent him from meeting the same fate as his sister.

“Regardless,” Mipha continues, “I believe that you are well prepared for this moment. I have faith in you!”

Paya steadies her bow, aiming a fire arrow at the creature’s face.

“Careful!” Mipha cries. “That spear has a long reach!”

Paya lets the arrow fly just as the Blight sweeps its weapon in a low arc across the floor. The spear is coming towards her, and a whole childhood’s worth of jump roping instincts tell her that she’s not going to jump in time to avoid the blow.

A clawed hand grabs her by the back of her shirt and tosses her in the air. Paya sees the glowing blade pass underneath her, and she has just enough time to think  _ that would have sliced me in half _ before she’s landing face first in the shallow water.

“I’m sorry!” Sidon says. He helps her to her feet. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, I just wasn’t able to catch you and jump over the spear all at once.”

“I’m alright— watch out!” The two of them leap to the side as the Blight jabs its spear at them, narrowly missing Sidon’s back.

“New plan,” Sidon says breathlessly. “You distract it with arrows while I rush it.”

Paya nocks another fire arrow. “Are you sure?”

Sidon nods sharply and draws his sword. “Just don’t shoot me.”

Paya’s fire arrow hits the Blight’s center of mass, and she switches to regular arrows as the creature roars in fury. She doesn’t want to risk setting Sidon on fire.

The water is too shallow for Sidon to swim, but he still runs gracefully, his footsteps landing with barely a splash.

Paya aims for the Blight’s eye, hoping to distract it from Sidon’s approach. The monster turns its head just before the arrow hits, and the arrow bounces off one horn.

“Take care, now…” Mipha says.

The Blight is looking at Sidon. He’s running towards it, sword drawn, and Paya aims another arrow at the glowing eye.

The Blight raises its spear high above its head before she can loose her arrow, then slams it into the floor. A wave of force emanates from the spear and knocks Sidon off his feet.

Paya and Mipha simultaneously cry out “Sidon!”

The Blight’s full attention is on Sidon now. It looms over his crumpled form, and he lets out a weak groan.

Paya fires arrow after arrow, but the Blight ignores her. In desperation, she produces a bomb from the Sheikah Slate and lobs it at the Blight’s side opposite Sidon.

The monster shrieks in anguish as the bomb detonates. It turns away from Sidon and its glowing eye focuses on Paya.

Paya backs away, still firing arrows at the Blight. It readies its spear to throw at her. She darts to the side, and the Blight adjusts its stance, keeping the spear head pointed directly at her. It draws the spear back.

Fear rises in her throat as she realizes that she has no way to dodge the killing blow. Paya raises her bow, ready to fire one last shot at the Blight before it kills her as it had killed Mipha, as it would surely kill Sidon—

Sidon sinks his sword deep into its back.

The Blight screeches in rage as Sidon wrenches the sword out of it, then plunges it back in. Sidon staggers forward with the force of his thrust as the Blight dematerializes around his sword. The monster’s form condenses into a pulsating blue orb of light, which moves across the room towards the main control unit. 

It rematerializes, and the hand without the harpoon glows. With a lift of the glowing hand, the water level in the room rises.

“Careful, Paya…” Mipha warns as Paya begins to tread water. “Not much room to operate.”

Sidon does a flip turn off the wall to swim over to Paya. “Get on my back once again!”

This time, Paya doesn’t hesitate to mount him.

The Blight, now dangling upside down from the ceiling of the chamber, summons a row of ice blocks.

“Attack!” Mipha cries.

The ice blocks careen towards them, but Sidon is quicker. He zips back and forth, dodging the blocks as they track his every move.

Paya sees an opening. Her arrow hits just below the Blight’s mask, and it staggers. The ice blocks shatter around them as the Blight falls.

As soon as the monster lands in the water, Sidon is upon it.

His jaws close around its arm, holding it in place as he stabs his sword into its body again and again. Paya remains on his back, and Sidon keeps himself afloat with merely his powerful kicks. Both of his arms are occupied with carving into the monster that killed his sister.

The Blight dissolves into the intangible orb again, floating out of Sidon’s grip and across the room before rematerializing. It dangles upside down from the ceiling once more, but now its single guardian eye projects a red laser, preparing to fire on them.

Sidon dives behind the main control unit for cover, but the laser sight still tracks them. Paya thinks quickly and lifts the Sheikah Slate. A Cryonis block rises between themselves and the Blight just as the energy beam fires.

Paya replaces the beam-shattered ice pillar with another, then draws her bow. Sheltered behind her Cryonis blocks, she pelts the Blight with arrows until it dematerializes once more.

When it reappears, the Blight raises a row of ice blocks with a glowing hand. Paya’s hand barely falters as she shoots the center block and then the Blight in quick succession. 

Roaring, the Blight swings its spear, but Sidon is too fast for it, zipping out of range with Paya on his back. All the while, Paya looses arrows at the creature. Whether through luck or practice, she finally manages to lodge an arrow directly in its eye.

The Blight writhes in the air, screeching. With one final scream, it bursts, gushing out putrid liquid Malice. Wide beams of fuschia light erupt from its body. Finally, it explodes in a sphere of white-hot radiance.

The last traces of Malice burn up around the main control unit, and the water in the chamber drains to its previous level.

“We did it!” Sidon exclaims.

Paya lets out a quiet “eep” as Sidon pulls her into a firm hug which lifts her feet off the floor. After a moment, she does her best to hug him back.

A sparkling, intangible filigree heart, glowing red from within, materializes near the ceiling and spins slowly down until it reaches a point just above the water.

“Mipha, what is that?” Paya asks.

“It’s a gift from the goddess,” Mipha replies. “It will strengthen your life force.”

“There’s only one,” Paya says, turning to Sidon. “Do you…”

“You should have it,” Sidon says. “You have a perilous journey ahead of you. May it bring you good health.”

Paya approaches the heart cautiously, then reaches out. Her fingers skim the surface, and the heart absorbs into her, filling her with a comfortable, golden warmth. She can feel her wounds healing and her exhaustion lifting away. 

“How do you feel?” Sidon asks.

“I feel… fully healthy,” she says. “It’s like I’m more invigorated than I’ve ever felt before.”

“You deserve this gift,” Mipha says. “You’ve done so well. Now, could you activate the main control unit one last time?”

Paya presses the Sheikah Slate to the pedestal. The terminal’s orange glow changes to a pure blue.

Mipha’s voice comes from behind her this time, unlike her previous words, which had seemed to echo from every direction. “Hello, Sidon. Paya.”

They turn around. Mipha is there, visibly standing before them. The statue, Paya thinks, didn’t do her justice. She’s smaller than Paya would expect, much shorter than Sidon. Her radiant form is surrounded by bursts of ghostly fire that glow like luminous stone.

“Because of your courage, my spirit is now free. And Ruta, as well. Thank you. For I am now allowed by this freedom to be with you once again. Since I am now a spirit, my healing power would be wasted on me. I have no need of it. And Paya, you have much evil yet to face. So therefore… I would like you to have it. Please accept… Mipha’s Grace.”

Mipha clasps her hands in front of her, then draws them apart, and a sphere of light glows between them. It shoots towards Paya and absorbs into her chest in a burst of fresh, healing light. 

Paya looks down as her body starts to glow, and she’s surprised to see her feet hovering a bit above the floor, surrounded by ghostly water droplets. She drops back down gently, still staring down at the clean glow emanating from her chest.

“Yesterday,” Mipha says, “I was awash in a pool of tears. I had nearly given up hope and resigned myself to being trapped here, as a spirit, for the rest of eternity. But now you’re here. All this time, my hope… was to see Link once more. Thanks to you, I may one day pass to the other side and reunite with him. Until then, Ruta and I have our roles to fulfill. We are both honored to be able to play the role of support. Promise me that you will not hesitate to call upon my power if you ever find yourself in need.”

Paya nods. “Of course. I would be honored to call upon your help.”

Mipha gives her a kind smile. “Taking on this mission was incredibly noble of you, Paya. I won’t let you do it alone. We’ll annihilate Ganon together. Until then, my spirit will likely remain bound to Vah Ruta. We must reposition in order to target the beast at Hyrule Castle, but Sidon, please come visit. We have much to catch up on. And bring Father, as well, and the other Zora. The time I have left in this world is a rare gift and I would like to spend it with my people.”

“I’m so happy to be here with you, Mipha.” Sidon is kneeling before Mipha, her ghostly hands clasped in his. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too. You’ve grown into such a strong and kind Zora since I saw you last. I love you, and I could not be more proud of you. I believe in you, Sidon.” She leans forward, pressing her forehead crest against his.

Ruta trumpets, and Mipha smiles. “It seems that Ruta is eager to move into position. I will see you soon. And Sidon... make sure that Paya gets to keep that armor. It suits her.” She winks at Paya, and Paya’s face grows hot. “Give her my lightscale trident, too. And for Goddess’s sake, get the girl some Zora greaves and a helm. Her hair and trousers are still dripping.”

A golden glow surrounds Paya. She feels herself lifted by it, and then she and Sidon are abruptly back at the entrance to Zora’s Domain.

Ruta raises its trunk and trumpets in the distance. Paya watches it emerge triumphantly from the water to climb to the summit of a nearby hill. A ray of light builds between the divine beast’s tusks and shoots forth in the direction of Hyrule Castle.

Cheers start to erupt from the gathered Zora.

Sidon makes a face. “Ugh,” he says. “My mouth still tastes like Blight.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My name is Sidon. You killed my sister. Prepare to diedon.  
> -My partner


	11. In which Muzu has another conniption and Paya climbs a tower

“Both of you have shown incredible bravery in taking on this threat to both our people and all of Hyrule. I must commend—” King Dorephan cuts himself off as Muzu storms into the throne room.

“Prince Sidon,” Muzu says, “entering the Divine Beast was incredibly irresponsible. Why would you put yourself in such danger?”

“Paya deserved our help,” Sidon argues.

“Not at the expense of such a risk to the Zora people. Your recklessness disappoints me.”

Sidon stares at the floor, looking like a scolded child.

“Muzu,” Dorephan says, “I hardly think this is the time.”

“He could have died! He could have… just like…”

“I saw her,” Sidon says.

Dorephan and Muzu stare in shock, and Paya shrinks back from their intense gaze.

“Mipha’s spirit… she’s been in the Divine Beast all these years, trapped in there with that monster…” Sidon shudders. Then his expression softens. “She’s still there. She said she wanted to see you.”

Muzu’s hands cover his mouth.

“Mipha…” Dorephan says with an expression of wonder. “She’s really there?”

Sidon nods. “She also said that Paya should keep her armor.”

Muzu gasps. “She said  _ what _ ?!”

Paya keeps her mouth shut through the argument that follows. As stubborn as he is, Muzu can’t bring himself to directly contradict Mipha. King Dorephan is perfectly happy to pass on Mipha’s weapon and armor at her request. In fact, when he sends someone to fetch a Zora helm and greaves for Paya, he asks that they bring her a good supply of rupees as well. Paya, flummoxed by the contradiction between her urge to refuse such a lavish gift and her discomfort with contradicting royalty, accepts the payment. At least now she’ll be able to afford protective gear for her trip to Death Mountain.

She bids farewell to the Zora with one final enthusiastic hug from Sidon. He is very kind, but she breathes a sigh of relief when she steps off of the Domain’s glowing bridge. Between the Prince’s fervent declarations that he believes in her and the other Zora’s expressions of gratitude, Paya feels suffocated by all the attention.

She returns to the Lanayru Tower. The weather is clear now, and she is able to sneak past the surrounding monsters without much trouble. Paya has never considered herself to be afraid of heights, but she has to force herself to keep her eyes up as she climbs the ancient structure. She’s winded by the time she reaches the top.

She rolls over the final ledge and lies flat on the tower’s floor, the ceramic cool against her back as she catches her breath. After a minute, she stands and approaches the pedestal. 

Paya lays the Slate against the pedestal’s surface.

[ _ Sheikah Tower activated. Scanning area... _ ]

Blue glowing runes begin to accumulate on the stalactite-like structure above the pedestal. It seems that the towers use the same mechanism as the Guidance Stones in her great aunt’s laboratory and Vah Ruta. Paya watches the liquid information drip onto the Sheikah Slate, which displays a map of the surrounding area.

[ _ Regional map extracted. _ ]

Paya takes the Slate. It’s time to go home, but she’ll visit Aunt Purah again first. She’s excited to tell her about her success with the tower. With a tap of her finger, Paya’s body dissolves into strands of blue light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been too long since I've updated. Rest assured that I haven't abandoned this fic and I don't plan on doing so. I've just been having A Time lately. 2020, you know? Anyway, this is more of a brief transitional chapter, but I tried to keep it fun. Muzu has absolutely had it with Mipha crushing on non-Zora.


End file.
